Quadricycles can now carry passengers

The government has included ‘Quadricycle’ as a ‘non transport’ vehicle in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, paving the way for such vehicles to carry passengers.

The government has allowed non-transport usage of quadricycles with a view to providing a safe and cheap mode for the last mile connectivity, an official statement said.

The press release posted on 23rd November 2018, states “Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified the insertion of the item ‘Quadricycle’ as a ‘non transport’ vehicle under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988. A Quadricycle is a vehicle of the size of a 3-wheeler but with 4 tyres and fully covered like a car. It has an engine like that of a 3-wheeler. This makes it a cheap and safe mode of transport for last mile connectivity.”

Quadricycles were only allowed for transport usage under the Act, but now has been made usable for non-transport also.

Bajaj Auto Ltd. is the only Indian vehicle maker to produce quadricycle. It is told that the the Pune-based automaker had been lobbying for more than five years to allow such vehicles to carry passengers.

“We are not trying to make a car but a four wheeler meant to ferry people in cities. It is not an incremental but dramatic improvement over a three wheeler. There are over 5 million Bajaj three wheelers in the country today. That is the market we are aiming for,” said Rajiv Bajaj, managing director, BAL, while launching the vehicle.